Simple network management protocol (SNMP) is an open standard for managing network hardware. A management information base (MIB) is a software interface that exposes management data and applications via SNMP.
Quality of service (QoS) includes a range of network management techniques, including both software and hardware, for prioritizing certain traffic flows over others. This is desirable in networks that carry IP (internet protocol) traffic, for instance, since QoS is not an active feature of the current IP standard.
QoS goals can be codified in a network QoS policy, for instance by setting upper and lower bounds on service to network traffic on a link. In times of link congestion, a QoS policy indicates types of traffic that should receive prioritized service, including guaranteed lower bounds on data rates. Upper bounds on data rates can constrain a type of traffic to prevent it from overwhelming other types of traffic, given finite link capacity, for example.